Shigure Ai
by Evide
Summary: It was a chilly night, Kouichi had a lot on his mind. Kouji had given him some gifts, what was he to give back? And why was it that thinking about Kouji made him so happy? Koukou


**Title: Shigure Ai -- Nightfall Love**

**Pair: Kouji/Kouichi**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon frontier or any of it's characters**

It was a chilly night, accompanying the cool that it had been all that day. It was the middle of February, and as such there was a light layer of frosted snow covering the artificially-lighted streets of Shibuya. Fathers were coming home from their late jobs to inviting homes and loving families snug in their warm houses. Family pets curled by a lighted fire if there was one, or buried themselves within the blankets of their master's bed or near one if not allowed. Some mothers with younger children were up and about the house to settle their kin into a welcome bed at this point, reading softly their favorite story book to them. Lights were being slowly turned off, fires slowly burning themselves out as the remains of their ashes crackled occasionally. Young couples settled themselves in bed together and students who had the luxury of no school the next day stayed up past their regular times to go to bed, groggily wasting their time away with mind-numbing television.

One young boy, only just having reached the age of sixteen, sat lazily in his rather small apartment's livingroom couch; alone. Kouichi Kimura, clothed unceremoniously in some new, dark violet pajamas, clicked off the apartment's old TV in boredom, his eyes gazing easily over some of the magazines and a cup of cocoa on the worn-down coffer table in front of him. He picked up a picture frame that sat near the edge, running his hands along the beautifully smooth sides as he studied the six figures smiling up at him through the photo.

It had been a present to him, as was most of the things on the table; everyone, save Kouji, had chipped some money for the frame. Kouji had gotten a similar frame, with the same picture they had all taken only a year after their trip to the digital world; their first anniversary around the Shibuya station. Kouichi had to wonder why he'd never gotten the picture sooner, but was glad that he at least had it now. That had been four long years ago, when his hair was still pretty short and Kouji still wore his bandana. He'd changed a lot now, though, with longer hair that he was eventually persuaded to tie up, using one of Kouji's spare hair bands; the twins becoming more and more identical to eachother after Kouji had had a trim.

Kouichi hesitantly trailed his fingers over the images of his friends, only to linger near to Kouji's photographed cheek, letting out a small smile. He couldn't help the memories that graced him from just a few weeks before, at the time of his and his brother's birthday together...

_He was smiling broadly, waving farewell to his friends, also known as the Legendary Warriors to only them, as they departed giddily from his apartment where the party had been held. Kouji was by his side, like usual, smirking at the rest as they left their sight, only acknowledging their goodbyes with an absent nod. Tomoko was behind them, her soft smile wide and genuine as she watched her son's friends walk off._

"_Well then Kouji, is it about time you left?" Tomoko asked offhandedly as she retreated back inside the apartment, picking up stray wrappers to be deposited into the waste bin._

_Kouji didn't seem happy about it, but he nodded anyway. "Yeah, I guess..." He came back inside with Kouichi just on his heel after he'd closed the door, Kouji loosely crossing his arms._

"_Here, let me gather your things then, alright Kouji?" Tomoko fluttered into the livingroom to pick up Kouji's pile of presents, purposely separate from Kouichi's practically identical pile of things on the other side of the room._

_Kouji just shook his head with a small smile, and Kouichi could tell he was amused at their mother's flustered attitude as she picked up Kouji's things into a backpack to gently set in the slightly-younger twin's arms, kissing his forehead lightly._

"_Goodbye then, Kouji." She smiled warmly, a hint of giggles under her breath before she retreated to put away Kouichi's things._

_Kouichi giggled a bit, an echo of his mother's, then followed his brother to the door as he slung the backpack over his shoulder. They paused at the doorway, hesitant to say goodbye, as usual. Kouji shifted his weight a little as the backpack slid off his shoulder, setting it on the ground gently. His brother glanced at the backpack with confusion, head tilted as to why he had set it aside. But his confusion melted away into warmth and happiness as Kouji took him in an embrace, arms holding him around the waist as he folded his own hands around his brother's shoulders gently. It was common for the younger brother to act this way, to be so protecting and... Kouichi always felt his brother should have been the elder twin. So he could lovingly call him "Nii-chan" instead of Kouji hesitating to say 'Kouichi-nii' knowing Kouichi wouldn't like it._

"_See ya later, Kouichi..." Kouji whispered into Kouichi's ear as they slowly departed. The other nodded absently, pushing some of his stray hair behind his ear._

"_Yeah, bye then." He looked down with a small smile, grasping Kouji's hand gently and squeezing. Kouji squeezed back with a somewhat hesitant air, as if he was contemplating on doing something..._

_Making up his mind with a stern expression, Kouji pulled a bit on Kouichi's hand, making him lean forward and look up just enough to see what Kouji wanted. Their positions perfectly in place, Kouji leaned toward his brother as if to whisper something secret to him... Then kissed him. Only gently, just on the lips, and as soon as he'd parted, he had picked up his bag and left, leaving Kouichi on his doorstep in a stupor. _'what was that?'_ he must have asked himself that a million times for the rest of the week he hadn't seen Kouji. What had that meant? What was his twin trying to tell him?_

Kouichi sighed to himself as he returned from his trancelike state of memories, settling the picture frame in his hands back to its place on the table. He still hadn't seen Kouji, even after two weeks, and he was almost afraid that his brother was trying to avoid him. Was he afraid to be confronted? Kouichi told himself he wouldn't bring it up unless Kouji wanted to talk about it... and if Kouji wanted, he would just forget that it ever happened. Whatever Kouji wanted, Kouichi would willingly do anything to make it happen. Kouichi was a bit baffled at himself for thinking this way about these things... to give Kouji whatever he wanted... but it seemed that Kouichi just wanted his brother to be happy. It had always been that way, but now, it just seemed to shoot to the top on his priority list. It was just unfortunate he hadn't seen Kouji after that day, though.

The two of them had always been close, why did it have to change so drastically by just one gesture? Or maybe Kouichi was just overreacting. Maybe the kiss had meant nothing at all, and his thinking about it just doubled his anxiety and overexaggerated what it really was. Just a small show of love and affection between family, ne? But the way that Kouji hadn't shown up afterwards was kinda odd... if it really was nothing, why was Kouji suddenly not associating himself with Kouichi any more?

It made his heart sink, that Kouji didn't feel he could confide in Kouichi enough that he had not seen him in a week. But then Kouichi shook his head, telling himself that maybe Kouji was just busy with things...

The lonely twin laid himself down on the couch, turning his head to stare restlessly at the items sitting on the coffee table. The magazines had been Takuya's gift; anime and manga magazines and some comics the gogglehead expected he and Kouji would like. Izumi gave out a pair of silver bracelets that the twins shared, and it was also her idea to get the picture frames and pictures for them. Tomoki had gotten them little rip-off calendars, his sitting in his room, showing off the date and varying pictures of cats and lions, while Kouji's showed wolves and dogs. The coffee mug had been from Junpei, with the character for 'twin happiness' in gold paint along the side, just as Kouji's.

Kouji... Kouji had 'only given him a stupid watch' as he had described, but Kouichi cherished the silver-and-gold colored treasure more than the rest. Just because it was from Kouji, it meant a lot to him. Just because Kouji went out of his way to get him something... why did that make him smile and feel so warm inside? How is it that the simple act of giving him a gift could mean so much to him? But not only did Kouji give him the watch... he also gave him a kiss. Kouichi wished he could have gotten his brother something as nice, having only purchased a certain CD he knew his brother to have had his eye on. He wished he could have gotten his brother something as nice as a kiss... but like what? Another kiss, maybe?

Kouichi shook his head, running a hand through his hair in an unfamiliar. Why would he think like that? What was wrong with him? He tried to take a drink of his nice hot cocoa to settle himself, the warmth spreading down his body just as Kouji's hug had done to him that day. He could still feel the flutter-like sensation of his brother's lips against his own, still remember the comfort and protection he had felt within Kouji's arms.

Soon as the cup had been set back down onto the table, the warmth had settled into his stomach unfulfillingly. He longed for the contact of his brother's body around him, for that gentle warmth he'd felt when they embraced. They hugged all the time, since coming back from the digital world, but none of those loving embraces could be compared with the first hug he'd ever experienced with his brother— the warmth of life flooding back into his veins, his heart returning from a once-beatless rest, his awareness only wakening from Kouji's heartbroken voice, the tingling sensation of his bare skin enveloped gently in Kouji's arms. The kiss had been just as great... maybe greater. Thinking about it made his mind fall into a hazy state of bliss, hypnotized by the soft crackling of the fire that his mother had lit before leaving for work that eavening.

His watch hung comfortingly around his right wrist, and Kouichi momentarily had the feeling of Kouji holding onto his wrist gently, rubbing at his skin with soft fingers. Something about that-something about thinking about Kouji- just made Kouichi shiver with inner delight. Why was it that the mere thought of his brother just made him so much more relaxed and happy than he'd ever been before? Even the hot cocoa, sitting alone on the table, couldn't compare with the memories and the thoughts of the warmth Kouji gave him.

Kouichi lifted a hand to his lips in thought, remembering the feeling on them, the swift breath of Kouji's that landed on them when he'd kissed him. Why think about it? It just made Kouichi long for more. Yes, the more he thought about it, the more he felt like he wanted more... he wanted Kouji to kiss him again. But... why was that? That couldn't be right of them. Was that really what he wanted? He just wanted Kouji to be happy. It would be wonderful if it was Kouji's wish to kiss him, then Kouichi would happily comply.

Startling himself even more, Kouichi tried to drink down the rest of his now-lukewarm cocoa, but it was a little hotter than he expected and his tongue suddenly felt like it had caught fire for a moment, the roof of his mouth numb with the sudden searing of heat. Why oh why did that sudden burn just make him want to kiss Kouji more, to feel his soothing tongue in his mouth as if to cool and heal him?

Kouichi just berried his head in his arms, hands groping about his dark hair to pull out Kouji's hair tie. He had been about to just discard of it in his own frustration, when he realized that it was from Kouji. As if when he would discard of it, he would also discard of Kouji. He didn't want that, though, so he just pulled the band over the same wrist with Kouji's watch, holding it up to his cheek as to be close enough to hear the soft ticking within it. As if the sound would soothe him. All it did do though was put him in an even deeper trance than before, slowly letting himself rest on the couch with his hands pillowed under his head.

His tumbling thoughts throughout his mind were slowing, his consciousness seeping away from him. He snuggled in on himself a little, trying to gain more bodyheat around himself to convince his mind he was sleeping next to Kouji. His last thought before falling asleep made it to his lips, and on a soft exhale, he spoke one word:

"...Kouji..."

* * *

He didn't know how he woke up, but it must have been something to do with the repetitive knocking and repeating doorbell ring that disturbed his sleep. He sat up groggily, rubbing his eyes before noticing his watch. It was two a.m..

His mother would've been home by now, she would've been asleep. There was no way it was her. And he didn't even need to check her room to make sure she was asleep; she could sleep through most anything. So Kouichi slowly, hesitantly made his way to the front door, whoever was on the other side reduced to just soft knocks.

'_I know that knock...' _Kouichi thought sleepily, uncomprehending. _'Those soft knocks, in just that rhythm... only one person would knock that way, besides myself.'_ He stumbled through the darkness, intent on getting to the door, tripping over himself. _'I know that knock...!'_

He grasped the doorknob frantically, as if his life depended on it; he felt as if the world was suddenly slowing around him, his heart beating so rapidly and so loudly as if it had jumped up into his throat. He threw the door open with a gasp, the sudden night chill blowing his hair back out of his eyes.

"K-Kouji! What're you— what're you d-doing—" he was cut off when his slightly-younger twin brother pushed himself forward and put his lips onto Kouichi's for a short moment that seemed to last an eternity.

"I'm sorry." his breath caressed Kouichi's lips softer than the breezes of the night air, warm from running, obviously.

"...Fer wha...?" Kouichi's mind was reeling in confusion, not exactly sure what was happening, only knowing that he just wanted to be here with Kouji. A small smile came across his dazed face as his brother smirked, shaking his head.

"For... leaving you like that. For what I did." He muttered, eyes cast downward as his smirk faded into the night. Kouichi frowned at his brother, feeling slightly dizzy beneath all the warmth and... love he felt.

"Well..." Kouichi faltered, shifting weight almost unsteadily. "Well, you shouldn't... feel sorry." He felt himself blink heavily a moment, the reached for his brother as he wavered. Kouji caught his arms, pulling him into a supportive embrace as he leaned into him heavily. "'Cause I think..." Kouichi shook his head, Kouji curious as to what his brother was trying to say. What did Kouichi feel...? That was his only question.

"What?" Kouji prompted, slightly shaking his brother's shoulders to get Kouichi to look at him. The elder twin did so, raising his head to stare into Kouji's eyes. Kouji could see a longing, a warmth within them...

And Kouichi kissed him, answering his question.

"I love you." Kouji said as he pulled his twin closer to him, after they'd broken apart.

"I love you, too."

And they sealed their love with a long kiss, lasting through the rest of the night.

**---Owari---**

yay!! (cheering) O wow I did not expect that, but I totally love it!

I can't believe how it turned out; yay!

No reason to write this really, I just found if I go with an inspiration, it only lasts for a while, then kinda drifts away. So, it was kinda nice that I actually got this thing to a pretty good length. But it's a problem when I'm trying to work on other stuff. (sigh) I am really really sorry, but I don't think I'll be able to work on O Yumemiru or Dream Wave 'till I have an inspirational spark. I don't know when they come or how to plan 'em... so, I'm really sorry. For this, I've kinda switched back into just writing Koukou one-shots, and that's probably what I'll do for a while.

Heh, I _really_ didn't think this'd turn out this way, but after writing half of it I knew it wasn't going where I wanted it to go. So... it kinda just came out weirdly, but I like it! So, hopefully you enjoyed it as well, ne??


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